A Jaded Path
by JadeRose1
Summary: Sequel to Jade's Tale- Sorry not much else of a summery for now. Starts shortly after the last story.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

A Jaded Path

**_December 31, 2012-England_**

A body laid still in a hospital. A body of a man who had hardly made any sign of life for over a week besides a heartbeat & breathe only seen by machines. A body on borrowed time…that time is now up. Alarms begin to sounds as the last traces of life drain from the body that once belonged to Drew McIntyre.

* * *

**_Bradford, New York_**

Another form in another hospital laid near as still as death. Unlike the other this one female. While the other alone this one always had some life around her. Since she was brought there, someone almost always sat watch other her in hopes of signs of improvement. Silver hair weaved with dark chestnut, her skin brushed with the age of someone who could be a grandmother, but she had no children.

Currently her father sat in her room keeping watch that night. He had no other place to be, but by his daughter's side. By her side as he had for days before praying for a change. He was getting to a point the would not care if the change was for better or worse. He just wished her free from the limbo he was sure her soul was trapped in.

"You know the threads to the web are still there." Came a deep rumbled voice from the doorway.  
"I thought you would have been back home with your wife."  
"She thinks I am at a company event in the city." Mark walked into the room looking at the bed. "Hard to believe it is really her."  
"But we both know it is."  
"Yeah…so any change?"  
"She steady…I am trying to keep hope…she is my baby…I only left to lay her mother to rest. I don't want her to be next…but I don't want her tormented either."

"Has anything else been tried?" Mark wondered as he looked her vitals over.  
"A few people have been brought in…modern medical, as well as spiritual. Just as you stated there is still the spark of life there…she is not fully lost yet, but how much longer can she last?"  
"He tried to rip her soul from her body. Whatever ritual he used it could not grab a firm hold on all of it. If someone could be found that can see the essence…transverse the veil in some form." Mark filled in what he thought he had figured out.  
"A spirit walker? They are not easy to find. Then the hazard of if the rite was preformed within the shadows."  
"Even if they can walk it they may be attacked be the guardians."  
"Yes & who would take that risk for someone they do not know?"

"Not many." Mark sighed. "My hands are tied at this point. My own payment for my sins has left me weak…even so if I can be of help I would gladly offer. We both know my knowledge is of a dark nature & would be of little to no use. It is that nature that caused this to happen. I am surprised you do not have me thrown out."  
"And what would that do? Having you thrown out Mark would do nothing to change the past. Maybe the more support she can tell she has the more she may fight."  
"Grasping straws a little?"  
"It's better than nothing."  
"True…" Mark reached down brushing her check. What heart the older man had wanted to break. She was so still, cold, near lifeless. For her sake & her father's he would try to keep faith.

* * *

**_New York, New York_**

"You sure I can't get you anything my little crumpet." Wade asked as he kissed Krys' hand. She was in a flowing sapphire blue gown that had jewels accenting the umpire waist. Wade was in a black suit and his tie matched Krys' dress.  
"I am fine Wade, relax."  
"Ye know he gonna fuss over ye like a mother hen until ye pop that lil bun out of the oven lass." Sheamus joked with a laugh before taking a sip of his beer.

"Hey I just want to make sure my girl is taken care of." Wade told them.  
"Mother hen." Sheamus started again.  
"Hey watch it."  
"Cluck…cluck fella."  
"OK that enough you two." Krys told them.  
"Yes Love. Well I need a new drink." Wade headed off.  
"Ye know I only like to ruffle his feathers ye know that lass aye?"  
"Yeah I know Sheamus, I know." Krys commented sipping her water.

It was a few minute later when Krys looked around. "I am sure he got delayed by one of the other guys…what could happen here?" Sheamus told her.  
"I guess you're right." Wade returned a few minutes later, the look on his face was unreadable. "What is it?"  
He looked at her, debating over how to word his thoughts. "When did you last hear anything on Jade?"  
"A couple days…why, you think something is up?"

Wade lowered his head rubbing his forehead a moment. "I just got a call…the group watching over Drew. He…he passed a few hours ago."  
"And cause they may be joined…?" Sheamus started.  
"That is what I am wondering." Wade admitted.  
"I'll step out to call him." Krys admitted as she moved her chair to stand up.  
"Want me to come with you."  
"No, I'll be fine. I am sure there is no change or he would have called." Krys grabbed her silver clutch bag heading into the lobby to make her phone call. She found a quiet spot to pull out her phone. "Hey pops it's Krys…Not much I was calling to see if there was any change…good, keep an eye out…Wade just got word that Drew passed away a few hours ago…No…I'm good…from what we can tell they're fine too…We will…take care pops."

Krys hung up & headed back into the ballroom. She took her seat trying not to interrupt the guys talking, but she soon felt both sets of eyes on her. "No change from what he can tell."  
"It better than her declining." Sheamus admitted.  
"True" Wade answered. Krys nodded as she grabbed her water taking a few sips. "So you going to your moms tomorrow right Love?"  
"I was debating going to see Jade."  
"Love we been through this I thought."  
"Wade if nothing has happened yet…"  
"Doesn't mean it won't. I don't want you near her."

Krys sat there rolling her eyes. "Give me your word Love."  
Krys gave a faint huff. "Fine I promise. I'm not happy though."  
"Noted but in this case I don't care. I am just worried about your safety & that of our little one."  
"I already told you fine."  
"Well aren't ye to just so cute."  
"Oh blast ya…you just jealous you don't have a girl." Wade told Sheamus.  
"Why the hell I be jealous of some ball & chain weighting me down."  
"Ball and CHAIN?!" Wade quickly placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"Calm down Love…I loved being chained to ya." He leaned over kissing her cheek. Sheamus looked like he was about to be sick before he slammed the rest of his beer down.

"I'll catch ye to lovebirds later…time for me to find my own bird for thee night." Sheamus laughed as he got up to mingle.  
"Damn dog." Krys snipped.  
"Yeah that coming from a Cat my dear." Wade chuckled. Krys just rolled her eyes before moving to snuggle close to Wade till it was time to countdown the New Year.


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

January 7, 2013

The Shield was busy training…well Seth & Dean was anyways. Roman was by the wall talking on the phone, he kept looking around at times to make sure he wasn't being over heard. "Don't you have anyone else?…I obviously can't be the only one with this talent?…I have other responsibilities…I can't be gone that long…What makes then so special?!…" A low growl rumbled from his chest as he closed his eyes. "This is crazy…I am not going to get sick over this…Fine, send me the information…you are covering my transportation I am taking it…yeah bye." He gave another growl before hanging up the phone.

"What's that about?" Roman's eyes snapped open looking at Dean. "Nothing to worry about. I just need to take care of something. I should only be gone a few days."  
"Go? Go? What about work? What about us?"  
"It will be cleared…hey you two may even get a week off." Roman tried to laugh.  
"What the fuck Roman! You think this a game?! What because you have 'wrestler's blood' in you that you are something special? That they will let you just wander in & out of work as you please?"

"It's covered." Roman told him oddly calm as he moved from the way & headed for the locker room. He didn't know the other set of eyes that saw the whole exchange. A gut feeling told him it dealt with the same issue that filled his own mind a lot lately. He debated following Roman.  
"Screw it." He followed Roman to the back seeing his buddies were still occupied.

"You ok man." He asked seeing Roman by one of the lockers. Roman lifted his head to look over.  
"Yeah I'm fine Randy. Just got some business to tend to & Dean freaks out. Like he thinks I would jeopardize any of our jobs if I could help it."  
"So it may…but you can't help it."  
"Don't be placing words in my mouth now."  
"I'm not Roman…chill. If I can be of help?"  
"Not really, thanks anyways." Randy nodded & started to walk away. "One question though?"

Randy stopped to look at him. "Shoot."  
"Does it seem like people ever gave you a hard time because of your background?"  
"What you mean the whole. 'Came from wrestling stock.' bullshit?"  
"Yeah."  
"In the beginning & yes I still hear it at times. Some of it I brought on myself though. When I started I thought I deserved special treatment. Yes at times it make you want to push harder because you have some sort of reputation to uphold. Now yours isn't as publicly known as mine so at least you don't have the fans breathing down your neck. You just need to worry about how the other wrestlers think of you. In time you learn to just say…fuck them."

"That has to be rough."  
"At times…you learn who is a friend & who just wants to use you as a stepping stone for their own career." Roman lightly nodded. "Before you ask, I don't pick that vibe from your two guys…then again some people can change with time."  
"Yeah…thanks.  
"Any time." Randy turned heading off while Roman returned to packing his things. When he was done he headed for the exit. There was a faint spark behind his grey eyes as he walked. He pulled out his phone redialing. "I'm leaving the training now, how soon you need me?…I just want the mess over with…I have my own life & I am sick of helping your operatives out of a jam…what you mean?…Fine whatever, how soon?…OK I will." He hung up the phone & moved to try to hail a cab. His first stop was the hotel to check out.

* * *

Krys was trying to relax down in her home in Tampa. She was going stir crazy, Wade didn't want her on the road in fear of a fight breaking to some how & her getting caught. He didn't want her up to see Rose in fear of Rose's powers if triggered hurting her. She was allowed to take short walks & go swimming in the pool. She was feeling like a caged animal in a zoo.

She would try to at least call Rose's dad for updates & keep him company at least on the phone. She sat down to make her daily call. "Hey pops…how you doing?…so no change then?…remember at least she is not growing worse….Can they think of anything else?…well there is some hope then…who cares where they are from as long as it helps her…I am trying to stay calm pops." She lightly ran her hand over her swollen belly. "He is driving me crazy…it is just a long list of what not to do. I feel like I am in a prison. Don't get me wrong, a nice looking prison but still one all the same…I am trying. Oh can John be told anything? He is driving me crazy as well…well he does know some of the story…yeah hopefully we will know something soon…I understand Pops, no offence but government sucks at times…yeah later." Krys hung up the phone heading upstairs for a good warm bath.


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

January 9, 2013-Bradford, New York

Roman stood outside of the building looking it over. He heaved a sigh before heading inside. He walked up to the front desk where a young woman with jet black hair & pale green eyes looked at him as he approached. "Excuse me?"  
"Yes Sir?"  
"Can you tell me what floor Dr. Stevin is on."  
"I can call him may I get your name?"  
"Reigns, I'm expected."  
"Of course." She picked up a phone hitting a few buttons. A few words were exchanged before she hung up the phone. She looked back at him. "Clearance badge?"

"Oh…yeah." He pulled out his wallet & some sort of ID card handing it over. She passed it through a card reader & handed it back. "You can go to the right & down the hall. You will want the last elevator & go up to the third floor. You are to report to room 312."  
"Thank you." He took the card back & headed down the hall. Once he reached the third floor he headed down the hall looking for the right room. He stopped & looked seeing it was a patient's room, but no sign of a doctor.

He heard a TV playing in the room. "Hello?" He called into the room before walking in. He clenched his right hand briefly as he entered the room. His stomach felt like it briefly was twisted in a knot, but then it calmed back down. A man was sitting up in a chair that appeared to be asleep. Next to him was a partially eaten tray of food. Next to him laying in the bed hooked up to different machines was an older woman with silver streaked hair. "She can't be the operative." He spoke out to himself. He was expecting a younger person, maybe even a guy. Not that he was trying to be sexist.

Roman moved his head to study the woman, there was something about her. A sense of familiarity, but what. "Mr. Reigns?" He turned his head towards the door seeing a doctor standing there.  
"Dr. Stevin I take it?" He walked over towards him not knowing the other man in the room woke up.  
"Yes." He walked over extending a hand for Roman to shake.  
"So…this woman is the operative?" Roman asked with a slightly skeptical tone.

"As far as you are concerned…yes."  
"What do you mean as far as I am concerned?"  
"She is the one we need your help with…that's all you need to know about it." The man spoke from the chair causing Roman to turn.  
"Hmmm, let me guess. For some reason she fall under the 'I'm not high enough clearance to know' category."  
"I don't know your clearance level, but that is my guess."

"And what if I refuse?"  
"You wouldn't have come here if you were thinking of refusing."  
"Maybe…so may I ask a few questions?"  
"Sure."  
"I'll leave you two be to talk." The doctor told them before leaving the room.  
"You can grab the other chair." The man motioned to the chair on the other side of the room.

Roman nodded before grabbing it to move it closer. He then sat down so he could look at the older man's face trying to get a read from him. Without thinking he gave a faint grunt of discomfort.  
"Ask, don't poke around."  
"OK who are you & who is she?"  
"I am Mr. Lindsey, the woman is my daughter Rose."  
Roman tried to contain his shock. "Daughter? No offence Sir…"  
"I know she looks to old to be my daughter, I assure you she is."  
"OK…"

"What happened to her?" Roman asked. He kept feeling antsy in the room, also something about this woman seemed familiar.  
"I am unsure how much I can go into with you."  
"I need as much information as possible to help her." Roman tried to stayed focused. "Does it make a different that General Trevino called me in."  
"I don't know…" Mr. Lindsey got up from his chair. "Stay put I'll be right back." He left the room & down the hall.

"Well he must not think I am a threat to his daughter if he left me here. He got up from the chair & moved to the bed to get a better look at the woman. "There is no way this is his kid. She looks like she could be as old as he is…if not older." He gave a sigh. "So what is your tale?" He stopped when he thought he spotted something tucked next to her on the bed. He walked around for a closer look. He saw a hint of black leather type fabric, & brown. He reached to carefully pull it out from next to her. His mouth wanted to fall open seeing the familiar item. "Can't be…" He turned it to look at the tag. "God…Jade?" He whispered in disbelief.


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

"Please put that back down." Mr. Lindsey addressed Roman form the door. The younger man set the bear back where it was before looking at the older man. "Excuse me Sir, I was just looking. I have a question."  
"What is it?"  
"Your daughter…is she…how to word this." He scratched his beard. "Does she have connections in wrestling, namely WWE?"  
"Yes."  
"She normally looks younger?"  
"Yes."

Mr. Lindsey moved to sit back in the one chair. "OK…so what is it you need to know to help my girl?"  
"What happened to her?"  
"She got wrapped up with a possessed person & they kidnapped her. While they had her we can only guess what happened." He lowered his head thinking a moment. "How much do you know of the storied around December 21st last year."  
Roman shook his head. "Not much besides the whole Mayan calendar thing."  
"This may be confusing then…but demon gates were set to open all over the globe…They were going to use her as a catalyst…also a host if needed."  
"Um…ok…" Roman huffed this sounded quite confusing.

"Long story as short as I can give…magic ripped most of her spirit from her body, we are hoping you can find it & draw it back to her."  
"Most."  
"We have a feeling there is something left, or she should have died by now."  
"Where is the one that did this to her?"  
"Dead…in trying to save her the demon was ripped from him, seems he had no human soul left so the body slipped into a state like she is…but it perished New Years eve."

"I will try…do you know where she was when the ritual took place."  
"No…she was rescued over in England, but the ritual that separated her spirit…That may not even exist on a map."  
"What?!"  
"My daughter is, or at least was a gifted being…"  
"Reigns?" A voice rumbled behind him. The younger man turned looking.  
"Taker?" Roman shook his head looking back at Mr. Lindsey.

"Hey Mark…no changes still, trying to see if this…consultant may be of help or not. You two know each other?"  
"By name only." Taker responded as he walked into the room. He cocked his head looking Roman over. His lips curled into a light sneer. "What are you boy?"  
"Excuse me?" Roman turned more towards him.  
"There more to you then it seems…I don't like what I am seeing…what are you?"

"Taker Sir, I honestly don't know what you are talking about…well besides the reason I was called here."  
"You want to explain a little?" Mr. Lindsey commented. "Maybe it will put Mark's mind at ease."  
"I highly doubt that. Don't you pick up anything from him?" Mark rebutted.  
"Nothing that would make me leery of letting him try to bring my daughter back. Why…what do you see?"

Mark kept an eye on Roman as he moved & spoke. "Abyssal."  
"No…"  
"You are blinded from the glimmer of hope he claims to offer her. I know what I see, I have had enough exposure to them to know it when I see it." Taker told him as he continued to bear down on Roman with a cold glare.  
"Hey you may be a veteran of our business…but back the hell off. I was called in to help before I even knew who it was. Knowing now is the only reason I have not walked out that door."

"Why does it matter to you who she is?" Taker wondered.  
"I been watching her since she came back…before you came back. The bear…" Roman gave a faint sigh. "I left it for her…the hotel in Louisiana."  
"I still don't like this…you stink of the Abyss."  
"You're wrong. I have helped quite a few people find their way back when they are near death." Roman stated. "I started to see souls that are on the boarder between life & death after I recovered from my own near death experience." He looked at Mr. Lindsey then Mark. "She is his daughter, the choice is ultimately his."

"Think this over, I read bad news from him." Mark told him. What if he just finished the job?"  
"Don't you think I have safeguards from any thing of that nature getting near her? He took the bear off her bed, I see nothing that tells me I should not have him try."  
"You are being a blind fool."  
"What other choice is there at this point? If you want no part in it you can leave."


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

"I am taking no part." Mark mentioned grimly as he walked over to the bed. He took Rose's hand, it was so still, yet still had life to it for now. "Safe passages my dark-winged angel." He kissed her hand before laying it back down & left the room. As he walked down the hall he had no clue if he would ever return. He prayed he was wrong & Roman was somehow her salvation.  
"Dark-winged angel?" Roman asked Mr. Lindsey.  
"A few have called her that before. As I said she has helped quite a few people in the past."  
"Dark-winged though?"  
"She had a third name. Golanv, actually Nvda Golanv mean Raven Moon, or Moon Raven based on actual translation."

"A raven? She also walked the veil?"  
"In a matter of speaking, but not the same spiritual veil you seem to see, she could breach the veil that surrounds us & separates the light from the darkness."  
"A shadow walker."  
"I guess that can be a term used to describe it."  
"That's why you said where her soul was ripped…may not be on a map?"  
"Yes…the one who did it…stole her from a sealed location, which mean he could also move through that shared space."  
"I see."  
"You still think you can help her?"

"I make no promises Sir, but I am willing to try. I may need space to work, it can be a drain on myself & those around me. It can also be disturbing to witness if it works."  
"I see." Mr. Lindsey walked over to the bed. "Please be safe baby…come back to me." He brushed her face before leaning over to kiss her forehead, he then left the room, shutting the door before moving to a waiting area.

Roman moved over to the bed looking Rose over, he could hardly believe this is the same woman who had fascinated him for months. The soul that was so full of life, yet so much pain. Surrounded by many, yet always alone. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath to try to relax his mind. Could he find her as he has others. He slowly opened his eyes, they were no longer a smoky grey, they were almost a pale lavender that held a faint glow to them. He could see as the energy in her slowly fluctuated, pulsing like a weakened beacon emanating from her heart. He saw were a small section of it reached out like a tendril growing thinner & thinner to a hair thin thread. The color of a life thread was normally bright silver that shimmered in the light, like a spider's web.

Rose's were darker like a gun-metal. There was also tiny flecks of a dark red dancing along it in the light. Roman was puzzled by it, he knew this was not the life thread of a normal human, that was not even a human that used magic, this was something different. He moved to sit in the chair he closed his eyes focusing on a faint hum that he heard near him. The more he focused the heavier his body felt, like he was being pushed down into the seat, a strong weight pressing on his chest threatening to squeeze the breath from his body.

Something in him tried to pull against the pressure till it suddenly vanished & he felt light as the air. He opened his eyes to see himself slumped in the chair under him. The eyes if his astral self flickered between that of the paled lavender to a bright red. "Let's see where you lead me raven." He began to follow along her thread unsure where it would lead. Object in the physical world held no impact on him as he moved through them as if they were not there. He stopped when he saw a black void in the path of her thread. He felt that would hold an impact of him if he tried to touch it. Was that the gate to this other veil her dad spoke of? What would happen to him if he was to cross it? Would he get trapped there as well?

He wanted to help her, but would he really risk himself to do it? What he already did was a risk to himself each time he tried it. He knew of horror stories of travelers that had their threads cut by others of a dark nature. To do so would sever them from their body, killing the body & leaving the soul to wander. Which path did he take?


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N: I own nothing of WCW/WWE/ECW ECT. Reviews, comments, & feedback keep me encouraged. Please keep any feedback coming, even if I don't reply be sure I do read them all.)**

Deep down Roman knew the choice he needed to make, but before he would go he needed to return. He needed to return & make his piece in case things did not go for the best. Roman followed his own thread back before he had to pushing his own essence back into the fleshy shell of his mortal body. He released a giant gasp as his eyes opened feeling like a large weight pressed down on him. He slowly stood up moving from the room & the nurses station.

"Excuse me?"  
"Yes sir?" The woman behind the desk looked up at him.  
"Do you have any spare paper, a pen & maybe a few envelopes?"  
"Sure." She tried to smile as she opened a drawer pulling out the requested items placing them on the desk. "Here you go sir."  
"Thanks." He took the items returning to the room. He stood off to the side & wrote out four letters. Two he placed in one envelope, two others another & sealed them marking them to the respected people of Mr. Lindsey, the other to be sent to his father.

He heaved a sigh as he moved over towards Rose's bed touching her hand. "I hope they don't need to be read. I am going to do all I can to get you back...get both of us back safely." He then moved back to the chair sitting down. He took a few deep cleansing breaths before he closed his eyes allowing him to slip back into the needed trance to slip into the astral plane again. He followed the other thread faster this time till he was face to face again with the black rift as before. "Here goes nothing." He reached for it & it felt like thick tar resisting his pushing against it. He gave a faint roar of frustration his astral eyes take on a deep red glow before moving his hand & trying to ram himself into it. He felt it give against him, he was pleased for the progress until instead of letting him through it enveloped him.

The thick blackness blocking his senses wanting to suffocate him. He had no clue how that was possible since that form did not breath. He tried to keep moving like swimming through tar. He finally emerged from it, but where he ended up he had no clue. Standing up he brushed himself off, looking around he saw a vast wasteland. Blackened dried ground stretched around him. A blacked sky with a dark silvery moon hung in the sky above. "Where the hell am I?" He looked spotting Rose's unique thread & followed it again. He saw it looked even a darker gray then before.

After a time of seeing nothing he saw what looked like gray & black shapes that were raising from the ground tendrils came from them lapping at the thread causing it to shake. "NO! STOP!" Roman yelled out in a voice that he barely recognized as his own. It was a deep inhuman growl, he saw as some of the forms stopped. He moved to try to continue his travels to try to find Rose's astral presence but the forms headed towards him blocking his travels. "Move." He tried to order figuring they understood him since they stopped assaulting her thread. They moved, but to circle him instead of letting him pass. He hard sounds, that is he guessed was words. He could not understand them though, it was just a bunch of gibberish.

Roman cringed feeling them trying to mess with his own thread. "Pl-please...I mean no harm, le-leave me be to find my friend." He tried to swing out in to the blackness that was surrounding him. It was like swinging through air. He went to try to move & now it felt like he was pushing against a brick wall. He stopped looking down at his hands in disbelief. His skin was darker then his normal tan complexion. It wasn't a brownish tan, it was like a dark reddish umber, his fingers tipped with sharpened claw like nails. His skin almost radiated a pale glow to it. "What the fuck is this?"

He looked around. "Please I don't know...wh-what you think I am...I am just seeking Rose Lindsey! I was told she is also called Golanv...Raven! Please let me pass to find her & we will both leave in peace!" A howl like sound filled the air that wanted to ring in Roman's ears, luckily for his sanity it was short live & the black barrier faded from around him. He saw a man standing there, he looked thin with hair as white as the moon. His face weathered by time, his eyes dark, but held ages of wisdom. By his side stood a large white wolf that had it's teeth bared towards Roman as it snarled.

"Are your words true?" The man asked, his voice like a harsh whisper that drilled directly into Roman. "Who ever you are...what ever you are...you came to try to save my child?"  
"Your child?" Roman asked confused doubting that somehow this man was the same man he had already met.  
"I am Golanv's teacher Waya."  
"Yes...her father seeked my aid to bring her back to him."

"A demon to beat demons...a demon with a heart. Who would of thought?" Waya seemed to muse looking Roman over.  
"I am not a demon!" His voice roared.  
"Could fool me on that fact." Waya commented. "There is something off about you though. Come."  
"No I need to go on to find her."

"Come with me or they won't let you pass...they have kept her alive this long."  
"The strange color to her thread...their energy?"  
"Yes." Roman debated the choices. There really wasn't any so he stated to walked towards Waya till the wolf moved to block him.

"Sasha back." Waya ordered. "He my guest...for now." The wolf stopped snarling & moved back to Waya's side before he began to walk off. Roman followed behind, but on guard himself.

After walking a while the wasteland turned into woods & still he followed this man. Roman was trying to figure out what was going on. Why did he look like this? "If you know what is happening...you know I can't stay away from my body too long."  
"Then you may need to go back & return. The guardians will let you pass next time...that is if I deem your words true."  
"I can't...this is my second trip already in a short time. I can't return without her." He saw as they stopped outside a small hut.

"Wait here." Waya stepped inside only to step back out a short time later. He was holding a dagger in his hand. "Come here, I want you to take this. It may come in handy." Roman looked it over as he walked closer. His hand shook as he reached for it, something in him told him it was not any common blade.  
"I can't take it with me if I return to my body."

"It will be waiting on you at the portal. Now take it I will not give me word to let you leave unless you do."  
"Why? What is special about it."  
"It will tell me if you are of demon blood or not." Waya told him plainly.

"Fine...just to settle this mess." Roman reached for the dagger, his large fingers wrapping around it. He pulled his hand back looking at it. The glow that radiated from his skin began to pulsate. It felt warm in his grasp, but not burning. He shifted his eyes to the older man. "Happy now?"

"Not fully...you are nearly as much the enigma Golanv is. I will make sure you can pass the guardians when you return, they can guide you to the rift leading into the abyss."  
"So her soul was sent to hell?" Roman tried not to sound shocked even with his new voice.  
"For a lack of a term I guess you can use that." Waya told him. "But for now return to your human shell...rest you will need it, they won't release her freely. She has destroyed too many of their kind in the past. So far they have failed in doing the same to her."

"And you honestly feel she can hold on the time needed for me to rest up & return?"  
"If she has so far I hope so. I will make sure the guardians continue to pour energy into her thread to keep it strong."  
"I hope you are right, I would hate for me to fail her father."  
"Let him know you met me, he should understand."  
Roman nodded with a growl not liking it, but what choice did he have. "Can you lead me back to the rift?"

"Of course." Waya turned & started to walk. Roman followed after him till they returned to where Rose's life thread was running. "Till next...I pray with her by your side." Roman nodded taking off for the rift. He set the blade down before stepping through it, this time it was easier leaving then he had entering it. Once free of that place he looked down at his hands confused as they now looked as they normally would.

"Strange, strange place...but I'll do what I must." He traveled back to the hospital & his own body. He saw Rose's father once again holding vigil. He coughed a few times before his eyes opened. "Before you ask." His voice felt stranded. "I did not get to her...but I hope I am close." He gave a faint cough again. "I met some...resistance. They oddly claim to be aiding your daughter. He looked over at her father. "You know someone named Waya?"

"Yes...he is a Shaman, he trained Rose in many of her powers."  
"Powers...exactly what am I dealing with?"  
"I told you all you needed to know Roman."  
"Fine." he sighed licking his lips in thought. "He told me to return & rest before going after her. That put it bluntly her soul is in hell & I must travel there to retrieve it."  
"I am sadly not surprised."  
Roman nodded.. "So...if you pardon me...I will return to my hotel room to rest. I do not need to return here to go after her again. You will know I succeeded or not by if she wakes up or not in the next day or two."

"Yes of course whatever you need to do." Her father commented before Roman stood up. He grabbed both letters, pleased they were untouched & left the room heading back for his hotel to get the rest he felt he greatly needed by that point.


End file.
